1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a bypass passageway construction for a vehicle air conditioner (i.e. distribution) system, and more specifically to a bypass passageway construction having a curved bypass passageway for bypassing a heater core and the like and having a plurality of outlets disposed downstream thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the case of a vehicle air distribution system, a bypass passageway, through which the air bypassing a heater core flows, is provided within an air distribution housing. Such a bypass passageway is formed into a curved configuration for bypassing a heater core and is provided with a plurality of outlets leading into respective air discharging ducts, such as a heater duct or a ventilator duct.
Therefore, it is important to lead the air flowing therethrough smoothly around the curved passageway for improving the efficiency of the air distribution system.
In prior art bypass passageway constructions, a plurality of vanes are provided within the curved bypass passageway for guiding the air flowing therethrough. However, such vanes resulted in increasing the frictional resistance of the airflow and in lowering the efficiency of the air distribution system. Furthermore, such a provision of vanes caused an additional drawback in that the number of construction parts of the air distribution system increased.